• Bank Indonesia Keeps Benchmark Interest Rate (BI Rate) at 7.50%

    On Thursday 12 June 2014 it was decided at the central bank’s Board of Governors’ Meeting to maintain the country’s benchmark interest rate (BI rate) at 7.50 percent, with the Lending Facility rate and Deposit Facility rate held at 7.50 percent and 5.75 percent, respectively. This decision is consistent with ongoing efforts to steer inflation back towards its target corridor of 4.5±1 percent in 2014 and 4.0±1 percent in 2015, as well as to reduce Indonesia’s current account deficit to a more sustainable level.

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  • Bank Indonesia’s Key Interest Rate Expected to Be Kept at 7.50%

    Although the business community in Indonesia requests that the country’s benchmark interest rate (BI rate) is lowered at Bank Indonesia’s next Board of Governor’s Meeting (scheduled for Thursday 12 June 2014), it is highly unlikely that the central bank will alter its BI rate which currently stands at 7.50 percent. The relatively high BI rate curbs business expansion and therefore limits higher economic expansion in Indonesia. However, several factors justify the continuation of the BI rate at 7.50 percent.

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  • Bank Indonesia Expects Indonesian Economy to Grow 5.3% in Q2-2014

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) expects Indonesia’s economy to grow by 5.3 percent in the second quarter of 2014. If realized, it means that gross domestic product (GDP) of Southeast Asia’s largest economy will accelerate from the disappointing GDP growth result recorded in the first quarter of 2014 (5.21 percent). Perry Warjiyo, Deputy Governor at Bank Indonesia, said that growth in Q2-2014 will be primarily supported by household consumption and investments which traditionally peak in the second quarter.

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  • Export Tax Dispute Leads to Force Majeure for Newmont Nusa Tenggara

    Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT), one of Indonesia’s largest copper miners, said on Thursday (05/06) that it sees no other option than to declare a force majeure at its Batu Hijau copper mine in Sumbawa (West Nusa Tenggara) due to the export tax dispute with the Indonesian government. President Director of NNT Martiono Hadianto also informed the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources that 80 percent of the company’s workers will be put on leave with reduced salaries.

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